The Beginning of the End
by Betharino
Summary: Angel and the gang are faced with some drastic decisions to make, one causing a champion to fall to their doom. (It starts with the season finale of the 4th season of Angel, but that's just to add a time frame, I own none of the characters.)
1. The Unexpected Guests

Chapter 1 The Unexpected Guests ~~~~~ Angel Investigations: *The night that Connor killed Jasmine*  
  
Angel is sitting on the chair in the foyer telling the gang about Connor, "Jasmine's dead, Connor killed her, he's just given up, and I think he might do something. He might..."  
"End world peace? You already did that. Congratulations." Lilah said from the doorway of Wesley's office.  
"Lilah." Angel said standing up.  
"Angel." Lilah said walking toward him, "What's the matter, Ace? Didn't think you were the only one that got to come back from Hell around here, did ya?" She cleared her throat and said, "Speaking of which, could I possibly get some ice water?"  
"What are you doing here, Lilah?" Angel asked.  
"She's not here." Wesley cut in. "It's not her, it can't be."  
"There's a signed dollar in your wallet that says different." Lilah told Wes.  
"It's a lie." Wes said turning away from Lilah.  
"La. It's Lilah." She said.  
"It's true, Wes. It's her." Angel informed him.  
"But, how?" Fred asked. "She was dead."  
"She's still dead."  
"Vampire?" Gunn asked.  
"Eww, please. Angelus drank from me, that's true, but like with most men, it was a one-way street. I was dead already. Besides, my Wesley made sure I was spared, just in case." Lilah said pulling down her scarf, showing them the scar where Wesley had cut off her head. "It's ok, Lover. I didn't feel a thing."  
"I'm sure that's true." Wesley said.  
"I don't get this." Gunn said. "If she ain't alive and she ain't a vampire. Then, what the hell is she?"  
"I'm just the messenger. That's all. They'll be sending me straight back to hell when I'm finished here." Lilah informed them.  
"Who's `They'?"  
"Wolfram and Hart. The contract she signed with them," Angel said, "extends beyond her death."  
"Standard perpetuity clause, I'm afraid. Always read the fine print." Lilah said.  
"What's your game, Lilah?"  
"No game, in fact, game over. Guess what? You win, which is why I'm here." Lilah said sitting on the sofa in the foyer. "I have been authorized to make you kids an offer."  
"You can't possibly think there's anything we'd want from you." Fred told her.  
"I don't think you'll want it, but you'll take it, because this is the offer of a life time." Lilah told them. "Just not, you know, mine."  
*********************  
A black car with the windows painted black was speeding down a Los Angeles street. The car came to a screeching halt in front of a tall building. The driver's side window slowly rolled down, and a pale hand emerged from the car and threw down his cigarette. The man climbed out of the car, and started up the side walk to the tall building. The man walked to the front door of the building and as he reached out his hand to open the door the handle started to turn.  
*********************  
Meanwhile, inside of Angel Investigations Angel's gang is talking to Lilah about a once in a life time offer. There is a long silence. The only noise they heard was the sounds of the clock ticking and a screeching car.  
Finally, Gunn interrupted the long deafening silence by asking, "Could you run that by us one more time?"  
"What was unclear?" Lilah asked.  
"I think the part where you offered us Wolfram and Hart." Fred answered her.  
"Just the L.A. branch." Lilah corrected her.  
"Just the L.A. branch. Hi, from another dimension, what the hell does that mean?" Lorne asked.  
"It means we give. You win. We're moving out. The senior partners are ceding this territory to you, and to prove it, they want to give you controlling interest in our L.A. office. You get the building, assets, personnel, letterhead, paper clips, all of it. It's yours to do with as you see fit." Lilah told them.  
"But there's no Los Angeles office of Wolfram and Hart. The Beast destroyed it." Fred reminded her.  
"Oh, it's back, re-staffed and Zombie-free. We're bigger, better, and shinier then ever, and we want to give it to you."  
"You want to give us your evil law firm? We're not lawyers." Gunn said.  
"Or evil." Fred added. "Currently."  
"What we're offering you is a turnkey, state-of-the-art, multi- tasking operation. What you do with it, well, that's up to you." Lilah said.  
"Why?" Angel asked.  
"Well, I thought that was obvious. You earned it. Think of it as a reward."  
"Reward for what?" Gunn asked.  
"Ending world peace."  
"That's not what happened." Fred said.  
"No?"  
"Jasmine was creating a slave state." Wesley cut in.  
"Right, where the slaves are full of giggly joy and love. Ugh, what a nightmare."  
"She was eating people." Angel said.  
"They knew what they were getting into."  
"Her stomach?" Lorne asked outraged.  
"World peace comes at a price, Jasmine understood that, she consumed, what? Couple dozen souls a day? Now weigh that against ending the suffering of millions, but you fixed that."  
"No we didn't. I--I mean, we did, we--we fixed it, but not in the way that you're trying to make it sound." Fred said.  
"Jeez, it's not like it was a criticism. Anyway, I'm dead and running late. Think about our proposal. If any one's interested and wants the grand tour. There'll be a limo waiting outside just before dawn. And hey... good job." Lilah said walking out the front door.  
"We ended a nefarious Global Domination Scheme, not world peace." Fred said when Lilah was gone. "Right?" Then they all turned around and looked at Angel for answers.  
*********************  
The pale man jumped behind a bush that was beside the door as the door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman, wearing a purple scarf around her neck. He watched the woman descend the stairs and round the corner. Once she was out of sight the pale man stepped out from behind the bush and slowly pushed the door open.  
*********************  
Angel had his back to the gang, and was thinking about his son. Fred was saying something, but Angel wasn't listening.  
"Angel," Fred said trying to get his attention.  
"Huh?" Angel asked turning around to look at Fred. "Sorry, what did you say?"  
"I said..." She began.  
"Hello, Daddy," a voice said behind them.  
Everyone turned around and looked at the blonde vampire that had just walked through the door.  
"Spike," Wes said surprised to see the legendary vampire.  
"Spike." Angel said with disgust.  
"That's Spike?" Gunn asked from behind the counter.  
"Who's Spike?" Fred asked.  
"William the Bloody. The worst vampire ever recorded, second only to..."  
"Me," Angel said, interrupting Wesley.  
Spike clapped his hands slowly four times, as he descended the stairs, and said, "Great welcoming speech. Now, that everyone knows who I am..."  
"Spike, what are you doing here?" Angel asked.  
"Well, Peaches, if you must know, I need your help."  
"Don't call me that." Angel said, "Why would you want my help?"  
"I don't want your help, I need your help. If I had a choice, which I don't, I wouldn't be here." Spike spat.  
"Why do you need my help? Does this have anything to do with Drucillia?"  
Spike was shocked that Angel actually thought he was there trying to get Dru back. He didn't say anything for a second, but when he got his voice back he went off, "God damn, bloke, I'm so over her. If you must know, you damn ninny. Buffy's in trouble and she needs your help."  
Now it was Angel's turn to be shocked. Angel stood there for a second letting all of Buffy's and his prior engagements flash before his eyes. When the last memory passed he whispered her name, "Buffy."  
The gang just stood there looking at Spike as though they couldn't believe their ears. They didn't hear Angel say Buffy's name because of their lack of vampire hearing, but Spike did. Spike was wondering what to say to get Angel out of his brooding stage when Angel said, "She can handle herself."  
"I don't' think she can. If I did I wouldn't be here asking for help."  
"She'll be ok, she saves the world all the time without my help." Angel said turning away from the bleach blonde vampire. "Anyway, I'm busy. I have to go find Connor."  
"Oh, right, because he's dyeing to be back home. You know if I was him..." Spike started.  
"Well, you're not him." Angel said turning around looking daggers at Spike.  
"Well, like I was saying, if I was him I would take the first bus far away from you." Spike said coolly.  
"Well, why don't you do that, now? Oh right, because Buffy sent you here t..." Angel started.  
"Buffy didn't send me here. She doesn't know I'm here. I came here to get your help. She's too busy taking on the First." Spike spat at him.  
"You mean the thing that tried to make me kill myself?"  
"Yeah, only it's not trying to get rid of worthless vamps, like you, anymore, it's trying to get rid of the whole line of Slayers." Spike said smirking.  
"Gunn," Angel said looking over at Gunn.  
"I got your back." Gunn said walking out from behind the counter and over to the weaponry cabinet. He took out Angel's sword and threw it across the room to him. Angel caught it, and Gunn continued to dispatch weapons to the rest of the gang. When all of them had a weapon, except Spike, Gunn reached inside the cabinet and grabbed a duffel bag. He filled it with the rest of the weapons, that were in the cabinet.  
"Who or what is the First?" Fred asked the question that was on everyone's mind as she caught the crossbow and the arrows that Gunn threw to her.  
"The First is the first evil." Angel told them.  
"Do you mean the first vampire?" Gunn asked Angel as he zipped up the duffel bag.  
"No, it sired the first vampire." Wesley informed them as he checked to see if his sword had a chip or a crack in it.  
"Yeah, and it's impossible to kill," Angel said as he walked to his office to get his duster.  
"So we're going to risk our necks and not accomplish anything?" Fred asked.  
"We'll still accomplish something, but we won't kill it." Angel said.  
"How will we accomplish something if we can't kill it?" Gunn asked. "And what exactly is it?"  
"You can't kill it because it will always exist as long as there is evil, but we can stop it from killing the Slayer line."  
"How? The First is killing the Slayers and we can't kill it so how are we going to stop it?" Fred asked.  
"Because the First can't touch anything, all it can do is take the form of anything that has died and influence people to kill for it." Spike said. "Right now it has influenced a priest, hundreds of vampires and some kind of demon that can't see to kill the Slayers and the potential Slayers."  
"Oh." Fred said softly.  
"Ok, so are we going to let the First stop us, or are we going to fight?" Angel asked them.  
"Ok, Peaches, as much as I love this pep talk, Buff's in trouble and this isn't helping her." Spike stated before anyone could answer Angel's question.  
"Fine, let's go," Angel said. "Spike, can they ride with you?"  
"What? Why?" Fred asked.  
"I'm not leaving without my son. So, you guys ride with Spike to Sunnydale and when I find him, I'll meet you guys at Buffy's house." He said pulling his arm through the sleeve of his duster.  
"We're not splitting up. We'll all look for Connor." Gunn said picking up the duffel bag from in front of the weaponry cabinet.  
"Gunn..." Angel started.  
"No, Angel, he has a point." Wes added.  
"Of course he does! Ok, look, we'll all go look for Angel's son, then, we're off to help Buffy. Now, no more talking. Let's go." Spike told them, as he headed to the door with his duster billowing out around him.  
The gang followed Spike out the door into the night. Gunn behind Spike, then Fred, Wes, Lorne, and Angel bringing up the rear. When everyone was outside, Angel locked the door. They descended the stairs and headed toward Spike's and Angel's cars.  
  
To be continued... Thank you Jerrica and Kasey for encouraging me to start writing fanfiction. Thank you Aunt Karen and Robert for telling me not to give up on writing. Thank you mom and dad for encouraging me to write. 


	2. The Search

Chapter 2 The Search. ~~~~~  
Spike, Angel, and the gang searched street after street for Connor. Spike, Gunn, and Fred in Spike's car, and Angel, Wesley, and Lorne in Angel's. They were all starting to get restive. They headed down a street packed with cars. At the corner of the street they stopped in front of a stop light. On the right of the street there was an electronics store. Wesley was looking out of the crack in the black paint, on the passenger's side window of Angel's car.  
They were pulling off when Wesley shouted, "Stop!" Angel slammed on the breaks, almost making Spike run into the car.  
"What is it, Wes?" Angel asked, turning around in his seat to look at him.  
"The news," Wesley said climbing out of the back seat of the car without another word.  
*********************  
"Bloody bint," Spike said slamming on his breaks to avoid crashing into Angel's car.  
"What's going on?" Gunn asked. Then fell silent when he saw Wes get out of the car.  
"Oh, nothing, just Angel trying to get us killed." Spike said not noticing that Wesley had climbed out of Angel's car. "Not that a car crash can kill me. Hey, where are you goin'?" Spike asked when Gunn and Fred climbed out of the car.  
Gunn and Fred walked over to the electronics store next to Wes. Fred was about to ask why he had gotten out when she spotted the television set that was sitting in the display window. This is what they saw...  
The news broadcaster was half way through her report. She was saying, "... Situation unfolding at Jackson's sporting goods, where police say that more then a dozen unknown shoppers are being held hostage at this hour. Police are trying to identify the suspect from these security camera pictures..." A picture of a 17 year old boy was shown on the television set. "... So far no motive is known for the siege and the suspect has refused to meet with law enforcement officials. We'll keep you updated as this intense drama unfolds."  
Fred, Gunn, and Wes were speechless as they looked into the face of Angel's son. Gunn was the first one to say something, "We should tell Angel."  
"Yeah," Fred said snapping out of her reverie. "Wes, go tell Angel. Gunn, uh, go with him and see what Angel wants us to do, and I'll go tell Spike."  
"Ooh, big girl in charge." Gunn teased.  
"Just go."  
"Fine," He said, as Wesley and him walked over to Angel's car. Fred went and told Spike about what they saw.  
*********************  
"So, what did you see?" Angel asked them as Wesley and Gunn slid into the car.  
"Angel, we know where Connor is." Gunn said.  
"Where is he?" Angel asked.  
Gunn and Wesley told him everything they saw. When, they were through Angel sat there in silence for a minute. Then he said, "Gunn, go to Spike's car and tell him what you saw."  
"Fred's telling him now." Wesley said.  
"Ok. Tell him to follow us we're going after Connor." Angel said turning the key in the ignition. The car gave a small rrrruuummm sound and turned over.  
"Ok." Gunn said climbing back out of the car.  
  
To be continued... It might take me awhile to post. I am having a bit of a writer's block and with school and everything it'll take awhile for me to get back into the swing of things, but I promise to try to get some posted in the next few weeks. 


	3. Fight and Flight

Chapter 3 Fight and Flight ~~~~~  
  
Two black cars pulled up in an alley next to a sporting goods store. The tall buildings blocked the early morning sun from the people who filed out of the cars.  
"Ok, look we're here to get him out safely before the cops come rushing in. Spike, under no circumstances are we going to kill him." Angel said, looking around at the group, saving Spike for last.  
"I wasn't planning on killing him." Spike smirked.  
"Good. Look, you guys get the people out of there. Spike and I'll distract Connor." Angel said looking at Gunn, Fred, Wes, and Lorne. "Lets go."  
Angel kicked the back door of the store open. They walked through the doorway that led to a room with a flight of stairs at the back. They walked swiftly up the stairs, onto a platform with a door to the left. Angel opened the door slowly and they walked out onto a balcony at the back of the store.  
********************* (Sunnydale, California)  
  
Buffy, Willow, and Xander were sitting on the couch in the livingroom of the Summers' house when Dawn came in from the kitchen. "Hey, has anyone seen Spike?" She asked looking from Buffy to the other two.  
"No, isn't he downstairs?' Willow asked wedged between her two best- friends.  
Buffy stood up from the end of the couch, closer to Dawn in the doorway. She walked passed Dawn, through the dining room, and into the Kitchen, where Faith and Kennedy were fixing a snack behind the counter.  
"Hey, B, what's up?" Faith asked.  
Buffy didn't answer her. She threw the basement door open and descended the stairs at a brisk pace. She didn't see Spike anywhere. She crossed the room to the bed and found a folded piece of paper lying on the pillow. It said, in Spike's handwriting,  
  
"Dear Buffy,  
Don't be afraid, I'm fine, promise. I just had to, uh, get some fresh air. I'll be back as soon as I can. Tell lil' bit to be good, for me. Don't worry I'll be back for the battle. I won't let you face it by yourself, promise. I love you.  
Love, Spike"  
  
Buffy read Spike's letter three times before sticking it in her back pocket of her leather pants.  
"Who's the letter from, B?" Faith asked at the bottom of the stairs, making Buffy jump.  
"Spike," Buffy said walking past her, and back up the stairs to the kitchen. Everyone was gathered around the counter, now. "News travels fast in the Summer's house," she thought.  
"Speaking of whom, where is he?" Faith said coming up the stairs behind her.  
"Out," Buffy said.  
"Out where?"  
"Who?" Kennedy asked looking from one slayer to the next.  
"Spike." Willow whispered to her, looking at Buffy for answers. Willow was standing on Kennedy's right side, with Dawn on Kennedy's left side.  
"Oh," Kennedy answered softly.  
"I don't know where he is. All I know is that he's out and he'll be back soon." Buffy told them.  
"Oh, that's just like Captain Peroxide, run when things get tough," Xander said standing next to Willow.  
"Xander," Willow said throwing him a warning look.  
"When has he ever ran when things got tough?" Buffy threw at him.  
"Let's see, that time when Angelus was fighting you and you were winning," Xander threw back.  
"That was when he was evil."  
"He has always been evil."  
"No, he hasn't!" Dawn said with anger evident in her voice. "He's saved our lives many times, even yours, Xander."  
"That's right." Willow added.  
"That doesn't count, he had a chip..." Xander started.  
"Yes it does, and more in my book then when he tried to kill us." Dawn said.  
"Dawn's right. Just because he had a chip doesn't mean he had to help us. He could have just gotten his minions to kill us, instead, but he didn't, did he? He helped us, and saved the world and us. Even you, Xander and you, Giles." Willow added looking from Xander to Giles, "Now, no more arguing about Spike and of what he has done in the past."  
"Where did he go?" Giles asked looking at Buffy from the doorway, Xander didn't say anything else.  
"I don't know, this is all he said," Buffy said, pulling out Spike's letter and reading certain sentences from it, "dear Buffy, I had to get some fresh air. I'll be back as soon as I can. Tell Lil' bit to be good, for me. I'll be back for the battle. Spike."  
"Ok, so lets think, where would he have gone now?" Giles asked. "It's day light."  
"I don't know, but I don't think he just went out for 'fresh air'," Buffy told them.  
********************* (Los Angeles, California)  
  
The room was bright, but that's what you would expect in a room with huge ceiling lights. There was a dark haired man sitting on the floor next to a rack of clothes with a bomb strapped to his chest. He was in his late thirties, and he was watching all of the other hostages and a brunette boy, the boy had strapped the bomb to his body, very closely.  
"That boy can't be very strong. He looks to be 17." He thought as the boy twisted a wire to a bomb sitting next to a brunette woman, lying on the floor, unconscious.  
The man didn't know her name or why she was unconscious, but he did know that the boy had brought her with him. As he watched the boy he thought, "Maybe, if the boy makes a mistake I can over power him."  
*********************  
The boy stood up, slowly, and said, without turning around to look at the person he was talking to, "You got in. Thought you might, and I see you brought the whole gang."  
Angel and Spike looked at each other for a second, nodded their heads once, and climbed up on the railing of the balcony. They jumped down at the same time, letting their dusters billow out behind them. Fred and Gunn descended the stairs to the right of the door, and Wesley and Lorne descended the stairs to the left. Angel and Spike crept closer to Connor as the rest of the gang crept toward the hostages.  
"Connor," Angel said as he walked toward him slowly. He didn't answer him, he just sat back down and finished strapping the wire to the bomb. Angel tried again, "Son." That made him mad. Connor pressed a button on the detonator, which caused a wall in the back to explode. Debris littered the room. The gang and Spike froze, the hostages whimpered.  
"Good job, Angel," Spike said sarcastically. Angel threw Spike a 'that's not funny' look.  
"You might not want to move. The people are rigged, too. You can't save them all, Dad. You don't know who's going to be first. Could be anyone of them." He said as he stood up and turned slowly around to face Angel and Spike. "Could be me." He had a bomb strapped to his navel. "Could be her." He said looking down at the brunette woman lying at his feet.  
Angel and Spike looked down at the woman, down at Cordelia, and gasped. Fred and the rest of the gang were slowly making their way to the hostages. Angel looked up at Connor and said, "Son, you have to listen to me. This is about Jasmine..."  
"Jasmine's gone," Connor interrupted Angel.  
"I know. We all felt it, that perfect love, then when we had to give it up."  
"I didn't feel anything," Spike said under his breath, "Well, that could have been because I was in Sunnyhell and no where near Jas."  
Angel threw him another look, and whispered quickly, "Shut up."  
"I didn't feel anything." Connor yelled, he took a deep breath and then said, "I can't feel anything. I guess I really am your son... I guess I'm dead, too."  
"Your not dead." Angel said, a tear streamed down his face. "You're just starting your life..."  
"No, you just weren't there before." Connor yelled.  
"I know," Angel said slowly, "I'm so..."  
"Don't say your sorry. Doesn't fix anything." Connor yelled again.  
"Ok, look. Let me say this. I love you." Angel said between breaths.  
"It's a lie."  
"It's not."  
"It's always a lie, my dead mother couldn't even love me."  
"Hey, your wrong. Darla did love you." Spike said.  
"How would you know? You're just a vampire." Connor asked him.  
"Because I knew Darla. If she didn't love you, she wouldn't have staked herself to bring you into this bloody world."  
"How do you know she staked herself?" Angel asked him wiping a tear away.  
"Buffy told me."  
"Oh," Angel said softly.  
"Vampires can't love." Connor said.  
"Yes, they bloody well can." Spike said.  
"Oh, yeah, name one." Connor smirked.  
"Uh, let's see there's Darla, Dru, Angel, and me." Spike said flicking the names off his fingers as he said them. "Bloody bint."  
"Hahahahahahahahaha," Someone behind them laughed. Spike and Angel turned around to see who it was.  
"Wes, what's so funny?" Fred asked.  
"I just think it's funny that Angel's son and Angel's childe are arguing." Wes said smiling.  
"Didn't your father ever teach you that there is a time and place for everything? This isn't the time for laughing," Spike said, "You git." Spike looked at Angel and turned back around to face Connor.  
Connor was still holding the detonator, but his thumb was moving toward the red button. With vampiric speed Spike punched Connor and ripped out the wire connected to the bomb around his navel.  
*********************  
Angel thought, "Wes is right, having my son and my childe argue is funny. They're acting like brothers." Angel looked over at his right, but didn't see Spike standing beside him. "Now where did he go? "  
He turned around just in time to see Spike pull the wire out of the bomb. He signaled to the gang telling them to get the people out of there. Once he saw that they were doing that, he turned back to the fight. Connor was now kicking Spike in the gut.  
Angel jumped in between them and pushed them away from each other. Spike landed against the wall and Connor landed in a rack of clothes. Spike stood up, rubbed his head, and said, "Hey, why the hell did you push me?"  
"Because you wouldn't have stopped you would have continued the fi..." At that moment Connor came up behind Angel with a golf club and smacked him across the back of the head.  
Angel fell to the ground with a thud.  
*********************  
Connor went after Spike with the golf club. He raised it over his head and brought it down fast. Spike squatted down and swung his leg out, swiftly, connecting with Connor's feet, causing Connor to fall and drop the golf club. Spike stood up, grabbed the golf club and said, "That might have worked on Angel, but it won't work on me." He threw the club away from the fight and away from Connor.  
*********************  
Wes, Gunn, and Fred were busy ripping the wires out of the bombs bounded to the hostages' chests. In fact, they were so busy they didn't see Connor hit Angel. Fred unbound three hostages, a man in his late thirties and two teenage women. They stood up and Fred told them, "Go up the stairs, to the balcony, and out the door. There are stairs leading down stairs, there is a man, uh, in a green costume waiting for you. He'll tell you where to go."  
"Thank you," the man said grasping her hand.  
"Oh, your welcome," Fred replied, after they left she began herding the rest of the hostages out of the store.  
*********************  
The man and the girls followed the young brunette's instructions. They walked down the stairs at the back of the store, leading to the backdoor. They saw a man, wearing a blue suit, standing inside the doorway. When they got a little closer they saw that the man had, what it seemed to be, green paint on his hands and face.  
As they drew closer he said, "Now, go down the alley, toward the front of the store, there are police officers there who will help you get home."  
The man walked outside, passed the two black cars, and down the alley to the front of the store. "I'm not sure that was a costume." He thought as he rounded the corner. "But then again it is Los Angeles."  
*********************  
After they had gotten the rest of the hostages out of the backdoor, Fred signaled to Lorne that there wasn't anyone else left. Lorne came up stairs, and the gang walked to the front of the store to check on Angel and Spike. They saw Angel lying on the floor. Fred walked swiftly to Angel and shook his shoulder, "Angel, come on, wake up." Wesley, Gunn, and Lorne were watching the fight between Spike and Connor.  
*********************  
Connor threw a punch at Spike's head. Spike blocked it with his right arm and landed a punch in Connor's gut with his free hand. The bomb was laying ten feet away, Spike had ripped it off and thrown it there, after he had thrown the golf club. Connor doubled over. Spike, then, landed a roundhouse kick to Connor's head. Connor fell to the ground, unconscious. Spike crouched down beside Connor, put a finger to his brachial artery in his neck, and thought, "Good, he is still alive, just unconscious."  
He stood up, brushed off his duster, and dug into his pocket. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and his Zippo. He pulled a Marlboro out, put it in his mouth, and lit up. He took a drawl and said, "I see you decided to join the fun."  
Angel stood up rubbing his head and said, "I see you can hurt humans now."  
"Got the bloody chip out."  
"I didn't know that."  
"Well, there are a lot of things you don't know about me." Spike smirked.  
"And Buffy's not worried?" Fred asked.  
"Nope."  
"That's weird she's always been scared about what you'll do if you got the chip out." Angel said.  
"Well, she was the one who took it out."  
"Why?"  
"Don't know, ask her yourself when we get to Sunnyhell." Spike said sarcastically with a smirk on his face.  
"We better get going, if we're going to get there before night fall." Gunn said walking over to Cordelia and picking her up.  
"Yeah, and the police are probably going to be coming in the door, in a few minutes." Angel said walking over to Connor and picking him up.  
They were on the stairs when the police came in. Gunn, carrying Cordy, was the closest to the balcony with Fred, Lorne, and Wesley behind him, and Spike and Angel, carrying Connor, bringing up the rear. The police officers shouted, "Freeze!"  
They turned around to face the officers. The police chief was a stout man with barely any hair left. He said, "We need that boy."  
Angel replied, "Over my dead body."  
"Which one? The one that goes to dust, the one that goes to hell and back, or the one that is 'grr' evil." Lorne whispered.  
Spike and the gang laughed except for Angel who was trying very hard and failing not to crack up with laughter.  
"What's so funny?" The chief asked.  
"You," Spike smirked. "You come in here with your guns trying to tell us what to do. When you don't even know who you are messing with."  
"I know what to do with punks like you," the chief said.  
"Oh really, enlighten me." Spike said taking another drawl on his cigarette.  
"Spike..." Angel said warningly.  
"Angel, I know what I'm doing." Spike said. "These police are all the same. All a bunch of mangy gits."  
"I don't think you do, and you better not get arrested or we won't make it to Buffy in time, and you'll burn, they don't give out blankets until you get to the jail, remember." Angel said.  
"Fine, if you think you can do better, then show me how to do it. It'll be like old times." Spike said sarcastically.  
"I'm taking my son and we're leaving. Do you have a problem with that?" Angel asked, walking up the stairs until he was standing next to Lorne.  
"Freeze, or we'll shoot." The chief said, raising his gun.  
"Go ahead." Spike said throwing down his cigarette and grinding it out with his boot.  
"Uh, Spike, not all of us are immune to bullets." Wes said.  
"Oh. Right." Spike said taking a step up to stand next to Wes.  
"Lorne, take Connor. We'll distract them then you, Fred, Wes, and Gunn get out of here." Angel whispered to Lorne, as he handed Connor to him. Angel turned back toward the police and said, "Ready, Spike?"  
"Whenever you are." Spike responded.  
"Then, let's do it." Angel said as Spike and him launched themselves over the railing of the stairs. They landed on their feet with their dusters billowing out beside them. "Spike, no killing," Angel growled.  
"I know." Spike growled in response.  
Angel had landed in front of the Chief. He reached out with vamp speed and grabbed his gun. He unloaded it with one swift movement and threw it to the floor. Spike had landed two feet from Angel and began taking the guns from the other cops. He didn't worry about unloading them. He said, "You know, these aren't helpful, they just get in the way."  
Once all of the cops were unarmed, Angel said to the chief, "I'm taking my son, and we're leaving." The chief didn't reply he was too scared. Angel and Spike turned around and walked up the stairs. The gang was already outside.  
*********************  
"What's taking them so long?" Fred asked Gunn as they sat in Spike's car, waiting for Angel and Spike to come out of the sporting goods store.  
"They'll be out in a minute," Gunn told her. They had brought Connor and Cordy out to the cars. They put Connor in Angel's car, with Wes and Lorne, and Cordy in Spike's car. Gunn saw Angel and Spike step out into the shadows of the store. Gunn grabbed two army blankets from the driver's seat, he had found them in the trunk of Spike's car. Gunn opened the passenger side door and stepped out in the afternoon sun. He stepped over to the side of the alley, handed out the blankets, and asked, "Where to?"  
"Sunnydale." Angel said taking the blanket Gunn offered him. Spike grabbed the other blanket, threw it over his head, and stepped out into the sun.  
Angel and Gunn stood there for a second and Gunn asked in a whisper, "Do you believe Spike is telling the truth about Buffy?"  
"Yeah, most of it." Angel replied.  
"Why?"  
"Because he wouldn't be here unless Buff was really in trouble."  
"How do you know?"  
"Because he hates me, and the only reason he would be here was if she was in trouble, or if he wanted something."  
"Do you think he wants something?"  
"Not sure, I'll know when we get to Sunnydale." Angel said throwing the blanket over his head and walking over to his car.  
"You two aren't going to be making out in my car, now are you?" Spike asked as Gunn climbed in the front seat. Fred and Gunn didn't say anything. "Woo hoo, this is going to be a long ride."  
*********************  
She descended the stairs to the basement. It seemed so empty without him. She walked over to the punching bag and landed a roundhouse kick sending her long, blonde hair around her face. She flicked her head back, throwing her hair back in place. She balled her hands into fists and began to punch the bag. "Why...did...you...have...to...leave?" She said between each punch. "Why...didn't...you...say...good-bye? Why? After...everything...that...has...happened?" She punched the bag with all of her strength. The bag flew across the room and landed next to the stairs.  
She didn't retrieve it, knowing she could easily pick it back up and suspended it from the ceiling. She walked over to the bed and sat down. She pulled out a worn folded piece of paper, Spike's note. She lay down on the bed, pulled Spike's blanket up to her stomach, and began to read the note. She read it again and again until she slipped into unconsciousness.  
*********************  
Spike pulled into a gas station, with Angel's car behind him. As he put it in park he asked Gunn, "Would you get the gas?"  
"Sure," Gunn said climbing out of the car. Gunn shut the door and the only sound that was left was the sound of Fred and Cordy's breathing.  
"Hey, you want something to drink or eat? I'll pay." Spike said breaking the silence.  
"Uh, sure." Fred said.  
"Here, give this to Gunn, tell him to pay for the gas, get me a jar of peanut butter and a box of crackers, and get you guys something." Spike said handing her a hundred dollar bill. "Oh, and ask the others if they want anything."  
"Uh, ok," Fred said climbing out of the car. Fred walked over to Gunn. "What's up with Spike, Charles?"  
"Why do you ask?" He said pumping the gas into the tank.  
"He just offered to buy all of us something to eat or drink." Fred explained.  
"Well, I don't know, Angel says he's either really worried about Buffy or he wants something. He said we'll find out when we get to Sunnydale." Gunn replied.  
"Oh."  
The pump stopped, signaling that the tank is full. "So, did he give you the money?" Gunn asked, as he put the gas nozzle back up.  
"Yeah, here." Fred said handing him the dollar bill.  
"Damn, what does he expect us to buy in there?" Gunn asked looking down at the money, and then looking up at Fred for an answer.  
"Gas, and we're supposed to ask the others if they want something," Fred answered him, "oh, and he wants a jar of peanut butter and a box of crackers."  
"Why does he want peanut butter and crackers?"  
"Don't know."  
"Well, lets go." Gunn said walking over to the passenger side of Angel's car.  
*********************  
Spike watched Gunn and Fred through the cracks in the black paint on the windows as he drummed his right hand on the steering wheel. "Buffy, if you get yourself killed before I get back, I'll bring you back myself, and kill you again," he thought as he watched Gunn, Fred, and Wes go into the Dairy Mart, "And if those friends of yours kick you out of the house again, I'm going to kill them."  
"Yo, Spike, here's your change." Gunn said opening the passenger side door, a few minutes later, letting a tiny ray of sunlight fall on Spike's right hand.  
"AH, BLOODY HELL!" Spike yelled pulling his smoking hand from the sunlight. "SHUT THE BLOODY DOOR, YOU DAMN NINNY!"  
Gunn slid inside of the car and shut the door as fast as he could. Spike rubbed the back of his hand as he said, "What were you saying?"  
"Here," Gunn said, handing him a $20 bill. Fred opened the rear passenger side door and slid in behind Gunn with a grocery bag.  
"Did you get my peanut butter and crackers?"  
"Yeah, here." Fred said passing him a jar of Jif peanut butter and a box of Saltine crackers.  
Spike took them and set them beside his seat. He turned the key in the ignition and turned on the radio. The sound of "Bad Company" by Bad Company filled the car. Spike pulled out of the gas station and turned into the stream of traffic.  
********************* (Sunnydale, California)  
  
"Where's Buff?" Willow asked Xander as she interred the Kitchen.  
"Sleeping," Xander answered her as he poured himself a cup of coffee, and sat down at the counter.  
"Still? Damn, she must have been really tired," Willow said, walking over to the cupboard and getting a glass.  
"Yeah," Xander sighed as he took a sip of coffee.  
"How's the girls?" Willow asked walking over to the refrigerator. She opened the door and grabbed the apple juice. She poured it into the glass as she sat down at the counter next to Xander.  
"They're healing," was his reply.  
"That's good," Willow said, taking a drink, "You know what we need to do, tonight?"  
"Get a tattoo." Xander said, making Willow laugh.  
"Nope, we, as in Buffy, you, and I, need to have a movie night. Where we sit around, watch movies, and pig out. We haven't done that for so long. It'll be just like old times. We can get a war movie for you and a chick flick for us."  
"Yeah, we need a 'friends-night-in' night to take our minds off the First and Caleb," Xander added. "We'll suggest it to Buff when she wakes up."  
*********************  
Spike's car screeched to a stop in front of the Summers' house. He grabbed his peanut butter and crackers, and opened the driver's side door of his Desoto. Fred and Gunn were climbing out of the car, too.  
"We should wait for Angel to pull up, before we go in." Fred said grabbing the crossbow and arrows from the floorboard underneath the seat that Cordy was lying, unconscious, on.  
"Yeah," Gunn agreed. He handed Fred the duffel bag from under his seat, so that when Angel got there he could carry Cordy.  
Spike on the other hand had other plans. He shut the car door and with vampiric speed dashed behind the house before Fred or Gunn could protest.  
  
To be continued... It took me a little longer to get this posted then I thought it would. I would like to congratulate J.K. Rowling on the title of the thirty third chapter of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I am a big fan of hers, and the title of this chapter was influenced from that title. I owe the title of this chapter to her. I will try to get more posted in the next couple of weeks. I think most of you are going to be surprised by the next few chapters. Well, got to go write more, see ya. 


End file.
